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Beltran helps Cards complete sweep of Royals

Jun 24, 2012 - 11:40 PM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Kansas City Royals, 11-8, to complete a three-game series sweep.

Yadier Molina added a solo homer for the Cardinals, who recorded their first three-game sweep in Kansas City since 2009. Allen Craig and Matt Holliday each had two RBI and two runs scored.

"We know that as an offensive team that we're going to be able to score runs," Beltran said.

St. Louis starter Lance Lynn allowed six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Victor Marte (1-1) recorded the final two outs in the sixth to pick up the win.

Mike Moustakas hit a pair of home runs for the Royals, who were outscored by a 30-14 margin over the three games. Billy Butler and Jeff Francoeur also homered.

Jonathan Sanchez gave up six runs on four hits over 5 2/3 frames. He walked six and struck out three. Tim Collins (4-2) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on three hits over 1 2/3 innings to take the loss.

"We put some offense on the board," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We just fell behind early. Sanchez really struggled with his command in the first two innings, then actually settled down to get us into the sixth inning. We just kept battling back."

With the game tied at six, the Cardinals scored a run in the seventh. Holliday walked, stole second and raced home on David Freese's two-out single to left.

St. Louis tacked on four more runs in the eighth to create some distance. Matt Carpenter hit a one-out triple off the wall in right-center field. Shane Robinson was intentionally walked. Daniel Descalso followed with an RBI single to right. Rafael Furcal was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Aaron Crow came in from the bullpen to replace Collins. Craig welcomed him to the mound with a two-run single to center. Holliday followed with a sacrifice fly to make it an 11-6 game.

After stranding runners on second and third in the eighth, Kansas City scored two runs in the ninth. Sam Freeman walked Alex Gordon to start the inning. Two outs later, Butler hit a two-run homer to center to make it 11-8. Francoeur struck out swinging to end the contest.

Beltran's homer in the first inning gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. However, Moustakas responded with a two-run homer in the bottom half.

The Cardinals scored two runs in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Robinson and Craig walked to put men on base with two outs. Holliday followed with an RBI double to left. A wild pitch from Sanchez scored another run.

Kansas City put a three-spot on the board in the fourth to tie the game. Moustakas and Francoeur hit solo homers around a Butler strikeout. Brayan Pena singled and raced home on Jarrod Dyson's triple to make it 5-5.

Molina's solo homer in the sixth put St. Louis back in front. '

But the Royals got the run right back in the bottom half. Francoeur and Pena hit back-to-back singles with one out. Marte came in from the bullpen and got Salvador Perez to ground out, but a run scored on the play. Dyson grounded out to end the frame.

Game Notes

The Cardinals have won 16 of the last 23 encounters in the I-70 Series...Beltran is now just five hits shy of collecting his 2,000th career hit...Kansas City went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded six...The Royals had 14 hits, compared to eight for the Cardinals.